We lack a clear and unifying national strategic vision for America. I don't know what kind of message that sends our adversaries.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Dollars and cents – and not missiles and munitions – could be the greatest threat to American security, Sen. Jeff Sessions told a group of defense and industry leaders gathered in Huntsville this week.

The U.S. currently spends $227 billion for interest on the national debt. That figure will grow to $874 billion by 2024 with the deficit itself expected to be $467 billion next year and then grow over the next decade. That sort of investment in debt service prohibits the U.S. from investing in other area such as national security, Sessions, R-AL, said.

"The interest is sort of like Pac-Man," he added. "It just gobbles everything up."

Sessions, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was among the speakers at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium. The event draws military and defense industry leaders from around the country with some of the nation's newest technologies on display.

Sessions said the defense industry has grappled with uncertainly caused by the Budget Control Act's across-the-board cuts. Those cuts will cap Department of Defense spending next year at $521 billion which, coupled with reduced amounts for overseas actions, could hurt the nation's ability to defend itself.

"Meeting our national security challenges does require money," he said.

Instead of just increasing spending with no regard to the deficit, Sessions said cuts should be made to entitlement programs to offset the costs. The Democrat-controlled Senate has been steadfast in stopping those efforts, however, something Sessions said could change if Republicans retake the White House in mid-term elections.

"If we confront entitlement programs, we could see a balanced budget in 10 years and that should be our goal," he said.

'They dream of being world powers'

Sessions said the collapse of the Soviet empire emboldened those who wanted to see the world as a safer place. Now, he said militant groups – as well as a resurgent threat from Moscow – "dream of being competitors to established powers." That means the U.S. must adopt a "peace through strength" stance that Sessions said it has of yet failed to do.

"I'm sick at heart as to what is happening in Iraq and I don't believe it had to happen," Sessions said of recent violence on the country. "And I fear for Afghanistan. We lack a clear and unifying national strategic vision for America. I don't know what kind of message that sends our adversaries."